EOE-SHOOTING IN THE BALKANS 87 



must make the job anything but pleasant on a 

 sweltering autumn day. 



The buck — a six-pointer, by the way — is a heavy 

 one, and I am quite satisfied when I have hung him 

 on a pine-tree conspicuously, so that my servant will 

 find him without difficulty later on. I sit down in the 

 winter sun to get my lunch, of which Dinah gets her 

 share. When we have finished, I light my pipe and 

 enjoy the splendid view. 



The valley at the side of which I am resting, like 

 most of those hereabouts, ends in a punchbowl-shaped 

 hollow, bordered with fine pine - clad clifis. Above 

 these is the main range — sheep pastures in summer, 

 but already given up now to the wolf As far as I 

 could learn, the chamois never come to this valley in 

 winter ; probably it, and also the next one lower 

 down, are too small, and too often disturbed. As the 

 valley broadens out below, its sides become cultivated 

 in places, and flecked with huts here and there. Then 

 comes the main valley, and beyond hill above hill, 

 culminating in bare forbidden-looking peaks. Bare as 

 they look, there is pasture enough up there, and it is 

 to them that the European antelope withdraws during 

 the summer heats. A lovely land, yet unlikely to 

 become a tourist resort for many a day, considering 

 that not even a good bridle-road yet traverses it. 



But the winter sun is declining towards the west ; 

 we must be going. " No, Dinah ; sufficient for the day 

 is the buck thereof You shall not disturb the other 



" Native burghers of this desert city 



• • • • • • 



In their assign'd and native dwelling-place " 



to-day. Come to the leash." 



So we go quietly homewards. The woods seem 



